Michelle Anne Harris
Artist Bio — Michelle Anne Harris
Michelle Anne Harris is a Philadelphia-based artist and Co-Director of Big Ramp, where she leads Special Programs and Community Outreach. Her art and teaching practices are grounded in her experience as a trauma-informed early childhood art educator.
Michelle works across disciplines, including printmaking, photography, painting, book arts, poetry, and sculpture. She holds an MFA in Printmaking from Cranbrook Academy of Art and a BFA in Photography and Art Education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Her commitment to educational access and community engagement has led her to develop programs for institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Cranbrook Institute of Science, Art Institute of Chicago, Hyde Park Art Center, and Mural Arts Philadelphia.
Awarded Grants
2025
Art and Change Grant (ACG)
Related grantees
Overview
Michelle Anne Harris and Kim Altomare’s project, Big Community Paper, will involve a large-scale paper pour at Hart Lane Farm in Kensington. This project will invite community members, especially youth and families, to create six 60" × 36" handmade sheets over the course of several days, using natural and upcycled materials gathered from the land. Participants will learn every stage of the process, from foraging and preparing pulp to pouring, collaging, and drying the sheets outdoors. The project will culminate in a pop-up garden exhibition and show-and-tell, where the large-format papers will be transformed into a collaborative zine on the theme of “emotional weather,” deepening connection to nature.
